October, October: WINNER OF THE YOTO CARNEGIE MEDAL 2022

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Awards: YOTO Carnegie, Kate Greenaway Winners; Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel Shortlist". Shelf Awareness. 17 June 2022. Archived from the original on 10 February 2023 . Retrieved 7 June 2023. Shortlist 2020 – The Branford Boase Award and The Henrietta Branford Writing Competition". Branford Boase Award. Archived from the original on 1 December 2022 . Retrieved 7 June 2023.

This is a beautiful book, and one that I would thoroughly recommend not just for children, but for adults too. Any teacher, librarian, or parent who cares for neurodivergent children could benefit from the level of insight and understanding that October, October provides, and any neurodivergent child will likely appreciate reading something that reflects them (although we are getting more diverse books, we still have a bit of way to go!). She studied English at university, [4] and for her Master's thesis, she explored "the effects texts have on the behavior of autistic children." [3] Aside from writing, Balen co-founded Mainspring Arts, "a charity that uses creativity to work with autistic people." [3] Critical reception [ edit ] The Space We're In [ edit ] Joy Court is a trustee of The United Kingdom Literacy Association ( UKLA), co-founder of All Around Reading and Conference Manager for CILIP Youth Libraries Group. She is a Past Chair of the CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals. Bearn, Emily (26 January 2023). "The Light in Everything, review: Katya Balen skilfully handles hard-hitting issues for young readers". The Telegraph . Retrieved 15 June 2023.This is a sensitive account of adjusting to change and the grief that comes with it - CBI Mind Yourself 2020 Reading Guide KATYA: Oh, interesting question! Yes, actually, I do. October is kind of the mid-point between the two of them – she’s wild and thoughtful. I think she’d love to tumble head-first into the waves with Zofia, and I think she’d want to learn the secret, careful folds of origami with Tom. CILIP is the leading voice for the information, knowledge management and library profession. Our goal is to put information and library skills and professional values at the heart of a democratic, equal and prosperous society. What I love about this book is how the author embeds stories within it. October is a born scavenger and her ability to seek treasure helps her to develop a vivid imagination for storytelling. The treasures that she seeks in the woods and on the riverbed hold untold stories of mischief and adventure that October helps to verbalise. It is her way of making sense of the world, along with the numerous books that she devours. KATYA: It was absolutely incredible – the Carnegie is every children’s writer’s dream. But to have the people I write for choose my book as their winner too – well, that’s beyond brilliant. I’m just honoured and amazed and grateful.

Both books “contain themes which help young readers build empathy, providing them with tools to create a better world,” she added. “They offer hope, comfort and enjoyment, and demonstrate the key role writing and illustration play in children’s development and wellbeing.” The two medal winners were chosen from a shortlist of 16 – eight for each medal – by an expert team of volunteer judges, featuring 14 librarians from CILIP’s Youth Libraries Group based across the UK.Baetiong, Jill (October 2019). "The Space We're In". School Library Journal. 65 (9) – via Education Research Complete. The illustrations by Angela Harding are beautiful and detailed and add a wonderful addition to the book. I believe that kids are empowered when they have access to all kinds of books, and can choose for themselves what they want to read. Graphic novels can be an especially engaging form of reading, and a gateway to all types of literature. But graphic novels are also an extraordinary, complex, versatile medium in themselves, not dumbed down versions of “real” books. You wouldn’t discourage a kid from going to a museum to look at paintings or sculptures or photography, so why would you tell them not to look at artwork in a book? Images are visceral in a different way than text, and when an artwork moves you, it’s speaking to you in a different language than words. There is no single way to tell a story, and graphic novels are one fascinating way to express emotions and ideas that can’t be put into words alone.” Jill Baetiong recommends the book "for libraries with a strong interest in realistic fiction" in a review for School Library Journal and writes, "While this depiction of a boy with an autistic brother is evocative, some readers may be tired of another novel that views an autistic character through the perspective of a put-upon neurotypical sibling." [7] In a review for the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Quinita Balderson describes the book as "a gut-wrenching story of loss, but through Frank's growing bond with Max it's also one of gain, and readers will be deeply moved." [8] I hope so. There are so many things in life we can't control, but knowing that even if things don't go to plan, you can still find your way and build your future - that's so important.

Balen's immensely touching, well-written story about the pleasures and perils of wildness combines a lush, autumnal sensibility with a perceptive story about a transitional phase in a young girl's life. - Booktrust Readers learn a lot about owls, too, through October's story - why did you choose an owl to help October better understand some of the changes in her life? Written in Katya Balen’s heart-stoppingly beautiful style, this book is a feast for the senses, filled with the woodsmoke smell of crisp autumn mornings and the sound of wellies squelching in river mud. And, as October fights to find the space to be wild in the whirling chaos of the world beyond the woods, it is also a feast for the soul. Concannon, Ruth (19 May 2023). "Sunshine on the bookshelf: The best books for children and teens this month". Irish Examiner. ProQuest 2815639232 Balderson, Quinita (November 2019). "The Space We're In by Katya Balen (review)". Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. 73 (3): 109. doi: 10.1353/bcc.2019.0730. S2CID 208625756– via Book Review Digest Plus (H.W. Wilson).

She wanted me to go to school and spend my weekends with her far away, but then when would I ever be wild and free and climb trees and scavenge for treasure and tell stories by a fire? Her MA also points to another very important theme – the importance of the stories we tell ourselves and each other. ‘Stories give you a greater connection to other people. Either you understand them more or you have all shared the same story and you connect on that level. We are all part of each other’s stories.’ Stories are essential to October and it is often the objects that she finds that inspire the stories in her head. This is based very much upon Katya’s own recollections of childhood collecting. ‘Children are like magpies; they take all this stuff and incorporate it into their games… The excitement of finding a piece of green glass that you can say is The Philosopher’s Stone…’ It is only when her mother introduces her to the possibility of mudlarking, searching for objects on the shore of the Thames, that October is able to reconnect with nature, to find herself and to start to create a more hopeful story for them all. Katya Balen (born 1989) is a British author of children's literature. Her works include The Space We're In (2019), The Light in Everything (2022), and The Thames and Tide Club (2023). Her 2020 novel October, October won the 2022 Carnegie Medal. [1] [2] Biography [ edit ] I adore the character development and characters in general, like how October gradually learns to love her mother and her father, as well as the fact that she learns you just have to let some things go. I also love the humour woven into the fabric of the story. You feel for the characters, and some parts make you smile while others make you feel a character’s sadness. I love the additions of real London facts and the wild side of the big city. a b "Balen, Novgorodoff win Carnegie, Greenaway medals". Books+Publishing. 20 June 2022. Archived from the original on 29 September 2022 . Retrieved 20 June 2022.